Roof Membrane Shrinkage

A few decades ago unreinforced rubber roof systems were plagued by shrinkage problems but thanks to technological advancements and improvements to epdm roofs the problems have diminished.

Roof membrane shrinkage.

In fact it is common for some cheaper tpo roofs to develop cracks in the surface relatively quickly. Damage to the roof s surface. Laminating any material introduces weak points that can cause the material to shrink crack craze and deteriorate over time. Otherwise it is all to easy to fall victim to problems caused by incorrect installation such as shrinkage for example.

The paper presents conclusions and recommendations for existing roofs. This includes cracks crazing splitting and ridging of shingles. As mentioned earlier incorrect application of the roof membrane is one of the causes of premature epdm shrinkage. What is roof shrinkage.

As the membrane shrinks it can begin to pull away from the flashing thus creating openings for leaks. Epdm roof membrane shrinkage. This coats the roofing materials and provides something of a protective layer for the roofing materials. Epdm is a relatively sturdy rubber membrane and is often used to seal vehicles windows and you guessed it roofs.

While epdm roofs are easy to install the installation must be carried out by someone who is trained and experienced in installing epdm roofing. Roof shrinkage commonly occurs on roofs with synthetic rubber membranes such as epdm. In some instances shrinkage can also damage wall masonry. Generally the membrane composition and properties were found to not change sufficiently to cause excessive shrinkage.

When it shrinks your roofing materials be they roof shingles or metal roofing are subject to cracking tearing ripping and ridging. Your membrane is what protects your roof from hot and cold temperatures as well as from extreme weather. Some common reasons for shrinkage are. Roof shrinkage refers to the shrinking of the membrane of your roof.

Several factors can hasten epdm shrinkage including incorrect application poor manufacturing and faulty roof design. Its causes include aging of the material poor installation and uv exposure. Membrane shrinkage can also cause visible damage to the roof surface. How can it be avoided.

What is roof shrinkage. All components must be attached uniformly and securely including membrane to insulation insulation to vapour barrier. This membrane protects your roof from extreme temperatures and weather and even from the damage from objects that could potentially puncture your roof. To help prevent shrinkage problems the following guidelines should be followed in preparing drawings and specifications and installing built up roofs.

Shrinkage is most common on epdm or modified bitumen roofs. Roof shrinkage affects roofs that rely on synthetic rubber membranes most commonly ethylene propylene diene monomer epdm. This is due in part to the fact that the top layer of the material is laminated.